Television and radio memorandum device



March 23, 1954 c MCCARTHY E L 2,673,097

TELEVISION AND RADIO MEMORANDUM DEVICE Filed Dec. 16, 1950 r Patented Mar. 23, 1954 OFFICE TELEVISION AND RAlIO' MEMORANDUM VI E Charles A. McCarthy and Susan H. McCarthy, New York, N. Y.

Application December 16, 1950, Serial No. 201,092

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to memorandum and notation making devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for making memoranda, notations and reminders in writing, which is adapted for being disposed right at hand at a location where it is constantly needed for such purposes, at irregularly spaced intervals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved accessory device for use with or in relationship to a television or radio receiver, so that memoranda, notations, addresses, and comments may be jotted down immediately at any time, when desired, without the necessity for running elsewhere or about to seek paper and pencil for such purpose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved television memorandum device which is peculiarly adapted for use with television receivers, being securable thereto in a convenient orientation for making memorandums and the like, and includes marking mediiun means and marking surface means ready at hand and in locations novel in construction, so that the utmost usefulness is attained with the greatest convenience.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved memorandum device in which a plurality of markable mediums are providedior use with at least one marking device,

the markable mediums they may be selectively employed by either left or right handed persons, Without changing or altering the orientation of the device itself, and in which the plurality of markable mediums may be so oriented normally as to assume inclined positions, and being readily resiliently yieldable with slight pressure upon the selected left or right hand markable medium, to bring it to operative position for being marked upon.

Still a further object 01: the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination memorandum and advertising or instructional device, the movable parts of which are so oriented with respect to each other that they may spell out a broad usage category, an in which observable portions and areas of said device are so positioned as to c ooperatively produce areas upon which advertising and instructional slogans, legends, information and data may be displayed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device in which themarking medium is seated in a seat provided for that purpose in the device, being selectively positioned in accordance with the predetermined pattern of being oriented so that conveyance of information or advertising, the marking medium being positionable as desired to both form a supporting function for other parts and also to simultaneously contribute to the general observable informational objective.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved article of the character described, which is very convenient in use, simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and readily placeable in such fashion in relation to objects such as television and radio receivers, as to be available for instantaneous employment when needed.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the invention, with marking mediumin upright position ready for use, and markable medium in horizontal position similarly ready for instant; use.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1, the view being partly sectioned and broken out along plane .2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the invention as supported upon a television set cabinet, a portion being broken out for illustrative purposes, and indicating in broken lines possible movement of the movable portions thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on oblique plane 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially on plane 5-5 of Figure 3, the view being somewhat in fragment in its middle portion.

In the use of conununication receiving apparatus, including the telephone, telegraph, radio and television, it is often too frequently of importance to make some memorandum of the import of the intelligence received, or at least some significant portion thereof. Where the entertaining radio and television receivers are employed, it is often a considerable hardship to make note of some important address, telephone number, of the originator of the program, or the details of his particular odor of merchandise or the like. Trusting to memory has been found impracticable, especially when telephone numbers and street addresses must be remembered, since confusion easily arises, with consequent disappointment to the user.

The present device provides novel, attractive, and utilitarian means for making memorandums, of intelligence received from communication media, including the radio and television. Both a marking device and a markable medium are right at hand, conveniently integrated with the reception device, so as to be ready for instant use precisely when needed, and at all such times, without the need for moving one step from the receiver.

In order to understand clearly the nature of the invention, and the best means for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it is seen that there is a stable base member I formed of sheet material of substantial length and breadth as shown, and having an end edge i4 interconnecting the two side edges 12 and H3. The stable base member ll! thus has a lower surface to which is secured in any suitable manner, as by adhesion, a relatively soft bottom. or floor layer 29 of felt or other fibrous material which will not scratch or mar the table or television or radio top upon which it may be placed as at 80 in Figure 3, and is of such substantial extent in area that it will remain normally stationary in any position thereon, in frictional engagement with surface 22.

The stable base member ll! may be formed of light weight material such as plastic, or of metal, as desired, and has a plane upper surface [8, as shown. At its left or rear end, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, there is integrated with the base member ID, an upwardly extending back wall member 24 which may be of much more substantial thickness, as seen best in Figure l, and in section in Figure 2, so as to avoid deformation under any ordinary stresses encountered in use, and to lend additional stability to the entire assembly. The back wall member 24 has a pair of mutually spaced upper surfaces 34 which intersect with the upper ends of the side edges 30 and 28 thereof as seen in Figure 1. An intermediate plane surface 35 is disposed between the inner ends of the two upper surfaces 34, and is spaced at its outer ends from said surfaces 34 by the bases of the upstanding mutually divergent standards or posts 36 and 38 which are preferably integral therewith. The standards 36 and 38 are preferably, according to this embodiment, so spaced and angularly mutually divergent so as to form in the minds eye a V-shape to forcefully impress the onlooker with the V thought.

The V-legs 36 and 38 may terminate at their upper ends in plateaus B which may be relatively horizontal. It is seen that the forward exposed surfaces 26 of the stable base, and also the forward surfaces of the standards of the v, namely 36 and 38 may be embossed or otherwise imprinted or marked with informative or advertising legends or indicia, as indicated in partly broken lettering thereon in Figure l. A central recess 42 is formed in the surface 35 to provide for the reception of the lower pointed end of the marking device 44, which may be in the form of a pencil, pen, or ball pointed pen, the marking end thereof being receivable in the recess 42 which is shaped suitably to accommodate the same without damaging it, and at the same time, to provide both support and freedom from access of the ambient air which would only dry the writing end if exposed thereto, even if in thfi form 4 of a lead pencil, so as to markedly impair its instantaneous writing properties.

A ferrule 46 has a bore to receive and engage with the upper end of the shank of the marking device 44 so as to be carried thereon, and has, if desired, an upstanding rubber eraser 50 of any suitable design, such as the spade design, mounted thereon. at its upper end. Horizontal cylindrical projections 48 and 62 are integrated with the ferrule 46 thereabove, as shown, and have a forwardly observable surface upon which suitable informative or advertising legends may be imprinted or displayed.

As shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2, we provide a plurality of upstanding locator pins or posts 52 the lower ends of which are set into recesses formed in the upper surface 18 of the stable base member Ill, so as to project substantially thereabove. These locator pins 52 may be rounded at their upper ends if desired, to extend smoothly into matching openings formed through the adjacent portions of the cardboard base 56 and the paper sheets 58 of the pad of paper 54 disposed in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. At its left end til, the pad 54 may be provided with adhesive and some form of fabric crinoline or the like, to secure temporarily, the sheets 58 of paper to the cardboard base sheet 56 to form an integral whole, from which, after a mark has been made thereon, or a memorandum, by means of the marking device such as the pencil 44 which is withdrawn from its seat 42 for that purpose, a sheet may be pulled therefrom for memorandum purposes.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, it is seen that there is a television receiving set 66, supported upon a table top 16 or floor, and provided with a screen 78 upon which images may appear by actuation of the adjusting knobs 68, l0, l2 and 'M, to bring the picture into sharp focus on the screen, and with ample volume. To the upper surface 89 of the television or radio set 66 is secured the base member 82 which may be of any suitable type, here shown as a rubber suction cup, with hollow recess formed in its underside, so that, when pressed down against the surface 30, the vacuum created will maintain the cup 82 in constant prehensile engagement with surface 80.

An upright post 88 has its reduced lower end portion 84 secured to and extending upwards from the base 82, and has upwardly bifurcated ends 92 and 94 forming an upwardly open trough somewhat elongated in a horizontal direction as seen in Figure 3 from left to right, to accommodate a pencil or other marking medium 96 in horizontal position therein as shown. Thus for example, the pencil may have a pointed end 99 and another end bearing an eraser 91, which combines with the horizontal trough 9492 to simulate the letter T. Taken in combination with the other elements of the device, it spells out the well known notation or symbol TV meaning Television.

The pencil is of course removable from its position shown in Figures 3 and 5, for writing on the markable medium hereinbelow described. On the front surface 93 of the trough, there is shown some legend or other informative or advertising notation as desired, and similarly such notation may be also shown upon the forward surface'BB of the standard or post 88, as shown, or in supplement to the notation shown at 93.

The lower portion-of the post '88, belowlocation has been' reduced 'to provide two parallel ae'raoov spaced surfaces seen clearly in Figures 3 and 5, and forming shoulders 'at locations 90. A pivot pin 98 extends through this thinned portion of the post 88 as shown, the outer ends of the pivot pin being peined over to retain them in position. The pivot pin 98 extends through a lateral bore I shown in Figure 4, through the narrowed portion of the post '88 below shoulder 90. There are two memorandum sheet or pad supporting members I02 and I04 carried by the post 88. These each have floor members I I2 integrated with side walls I05 and I06, and end walls I08 and H0 to form upwardly open compartments to receive pads or sheets of paper I24 constituting a markable medium, in the compartment I26.

The right hand paper supporting device I02 has legs I I6 and H8 extending inwardly from its end wall I I 0, and they have aligned apertures formed therein to receive the pivot pin 98 so as to be turnable about pin 00 as their axis. The other or left hand paper supporting device I04 also has legs lI6b and I I8b, more Widely spaced than legs H0 and H8, and extending inwardly out of their inner wall H0, and having apertures formed therein to receive the pin 98 so as to be turnable about its axis. A spring is Wound around the pivot pin 98, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and has its ends I20 and I22 arranged to bear resiliently against the legs 8 and H81) respectively of the left and right memorandum supporting devices I02 and I04, so as to bias them upwards to the positions shown in full lines in Figure 3, simulating the legs of a V, the shoulders 90 forming a stop against further upward travel thereof.

This is the normal position both V legs I02 and I04 occupy normally. However, when it is desired to write a memorandum upon either of the memos I02 or I04, depending upon whether the user is left handed or right handed, it is only necessary for him to depress either the left hand or right hand memo I02 or I04, bringing its rubber projection stop or cushion H4 or II4b into contact with the television set stop 80, as at I 02 b, for example, when moving in the direction of arrow I I5, for right handed persons. The memo I02 being then in horizontal position, the pencil 96 may be removed and a memorandum inscribed on paper I24, and then the release of pressure thereon will allow the device to return to full line position.

It will be noted that the peculiar geometrical configuration of the device compels the onlooker to be reminded of the notation TV indicating television reception. It is a very convenient item for use at all times, for making memorandums, notations and copies of intelligence received, precisely at the time received, so that no reliance need be placed upon memory at all.

Although we have described our invention in 6 specific terms, it will be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. A memorandum device comprising a, base means formed with a concavi y opening downwardly therefrom, the walls of said concavity being deformable resiliently on pressing against a surface so as to remain engaged therewith by suction force upon release of the said pressing force, a main upright support post carried at its lower end by said base means so as to extend upwardly therefrom, trough means carried on the upper end of said main support post and constructed and arranged to form a seat for a, marking medium perpendicular to the axis of said main post, first and second paper supporting shelves secured pivotally at their abutting edges to a lower portion of said main support post, and constructed and arranged for supporting at least one sheet of marking paper thereon, spring means acting upon said paper supporting shelves for biasing them normally into rest positions in which they extend divergently upwards on opposite sides of said main post to define a V-shape, stop means carried by said post to limit their upward movement to said predetermined degree of divergence, whereby, upon depression of either of said paper supporting shelves, into a horizontal plane, they may be written upon with said marking medium, and wherein their downward motion is limited upon reaching said base means in such traverse.

2. The construction according to claim 1, wherein said main post has at least one portion thereof reduced to form, a stop shoulder, said stop shoulder being disposed in the path of upward motion of said paper supporting shelves, and forming said stop means for limiting the upward motion thereof beyond said predetermined degree of divergency.

CHARLES A. MCCARTHY. SUSAN H. MCCARTHY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 133,983 Cruise et 'al. Oct. 6, 1942 1,482,659 Oswald Feb. 5, 1924 1,642,382 Ottinger Sept. 13, 1927 1,908,840 Greist et a1 May 16, 1933 2,199,664 Horsley May '7, 1940 2,527,216 Harris Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country- Date 213,919 Switzerland Mar. 311, 1941 

